The Voice of Somaliland Minority Women Organization (VOSOMWO), in collaboration with Plan International, conducted a training session for youth and women working in social affairs in the Sheikh Nur and Daami neighborhoods. The training focused on understanding, preventing, and responding to violence against vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, and other at-risk community members.
The event brought together community members, youth leaders, women representatives, and social workers to discuss the various forms of violence occurring within communities, their impact on victims, and the important role that communities can play in preventing and reducing such abuses.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of VOSOMWO, Ms. Hibak Ahmed Hassan, emphasized the importance of the training, noting that violence has become a widespread challenge affecting many individuals and families and requires collective action to address.
Ms. Hibak explained that the training was designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of community service workers, enabling them to actively contribute to violence prevention efforts and raise awareness within their communities.
“We are raising awareness about gender-based violence and other forms of violence that occur in society. Today, many harmful practices continue to affect vulnerable people, including rape, child labor, sexual abuse, and other violations of human dignity and rights,” she stated.
She further explained that violence extends beyond physical abuse and includes many harmful practices that occur in everyday life.
“Girls who are denied their wages, children who experience harassment in educational institutions, verbal abuse, insults, and female genital mutilation (FGM) are all forms of violence and violations of human rights,” she added.
Ms. Hibak noted that the primary objective of the training was to reduce these violations and promote a society that respects and protects the rights of vulnerable individuals.
Participants were trained on how to identify different forms of abuse, respond appropriately to incidents, support survivors, and make referrals to available services when necessary.
“We are focusing on how to prevent abuse, respond effectively when it occurs, and provide support to survivors. The knowledge gained through this training should be shared with others in our communities so that more people can benefit and contribute to creating safer environments,” she said.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Hibak emphasized that violence can affect anyone in a vulnerable situation. However, women and girls remain disproportionately affected by many forms of abuse and therefore require additional protection, support, and empowerment.
This training forms part of ongoing efforts by VOSOMWO and Plan International to strengthen community awareness, build the capacity of social workers and community leaders, and promote the protection, dignity, and rights of vulnerable populations throughout
